Sewing machine

ABSTRACT

A sewing machine has two flaps hinged on respective sides of the free lower arm of the machine so that when the flaps are raised, they enclose the head of the machine and when they are lowered, they expose the head for use. The hinge means of each flap is slidable in a related groove extending along the upper face of the lower arm and into the pedestal so that each of the flaps can be slid away from the end of the free lower arm to permit tubular pieces of material to be slipped over said arm and have a sewing operation performed thereon.

United States Patent Inventor Marcel Fresard Petit-Lancy, Geneva, Switzerland Appl. No. 806,067 -Filed Mar. 11, 1969 Patented Feb. ,9, 1971 Assignee Mefina S. A.

- Fribourg, Switzerland a company of Switzerland Priority Apr. 11, 1968 Switzerland 5,502/68 SEWING MACHINE 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 1 l2/217.1 Int. Cl D05b 75/00 FieldofSearch l12/217.1,

ABSTRACT: A sewing machine has two flaps hinged on respective sides of the free lower arm of the machine so that when the flaps are raised, they enclose the head of the machine and when they are lowered, they expose the head for use. The hinge means of each flap is slidable in a related groove extending along the upper face of the lower arm and into the pedestal so that each of the flaps can be slid away from the end of the free lower arm to permit tubular pieces of material to be slipped over said arm and have a sewing operation performed thereon.

PATENIEDFEB slaw 3,561,383

INVENT OR M46654 F/PiSflED BY @{W- ATTORNEY SEWING MACHINE This invention relates to a sewing machine having a casing including a pedestal, a free lower arm, an upper arm, and a head, and a plurality of flaps hinged on the casing to move between an upper position, in which the flaps are raised against the head of the casing to form therewith an enclosure for the sewing machine, and a lower position, in which the sewing machine can be used.

A sewing machine of this kind is known in the prior art. However, when a tubular piece of cloth, such as the arm of a dress, must be sewn on such a machine, it is desirable to provide some quick and easy way of moving the flapsfrom their normal lower position so as to free the lower am for passage of the tubular piece of cloth thereover.

An object of the invention is to provide a hinge arrangement for the flaps which permits the latter to slide towards the rear of the machine, thereby freeing the lower arm to receive tubular pieces of cloth.

This object and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

The invention will be described, with reference to the figures of the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sewing machine opened up, ready for use with the flap providing an enlarged work supporting surface; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, similar to that of FIG. 1, with the flaps slid toward the rear of the machine and the lower arm freed for the sewing of tubular pieces of material.

With reference to the drawing, the sewing machine comprises a casing l composed of a base 2, a pedestal 3, a free lower arm 4, an upper arm 5, and a head 6, Flaps 8 and 9 are hinged along the lengthwise edges 7 of the upper face of the lower arm 4. When the flaps are in the position shown in FIG. 1, they overlie the space between lower arm 4 and base 2, thus obstructing access to said space, the use of which is required for sewing tubular pieces of fabric. The hinge arrangement for these flaps is such that, once the flaps are lowered, as shown in the drawing they can be slid along a line past and beyond the pedestal 3, as shown in FIG. 2. When the flaps are in the positionillustrated in FIG. 2, the front end of the lower arm 4 is completely free, permitting the sewing of tubular pieces of fabric, such as the sleeves of dresses and the legs of trousers by slipping them over the front end of the lower arm.

When the flaps 8 and 9 are in the positionseen in FIG. 1, it is very easy to sew flat pieces of fabric, since .the working surface provided by the upper face of the lower arm 4 is enlarged by the flaps when they are in this position.

When the sewing machine is not in use, it is easily closed up by sliding the flaps back to their original positions (if necessary) and then raising them against the head 6 and the upper arm 5, as shown is dashed line at 8a in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated, the flaps 8 and 9 are as long as the upper face of the lower arm 4; but it is within the scope of the invention to increase their length until they are as long as the entire sewing machine, so that they cover the pedestal 3 when raised. In all cases, the flap hinge arrangement I0 permits the flaps to slide longitudinally of the lower arm and the pedestal, exposing the lower arm 4 when they are pushed past the pedestal 3.

The casing l of the sewing machine illustrated includes a base 2 having the conventional rectangular shape. The base can also be composed of any other suitable arrangement, such as a foot mounted underneath the casing I and having four toes, one at each comer of an imaginary rectangle.

In a still further modification, the sewing machine can incorporate a third flap (not shown) for covering the space between the head 6 and the arm 4. This flap, which is detachably fixed in any known and suitable manner to the head 6 when the machine is closed up, is removably connected to the casing l or mounted to slide vertically in the head 6.

In accordance with the invention, any known suitable means, such as spring catches 11 or small magnetized plates, can be provided alon the sides of the upper arm 5 for holdin the flaps 8 and 9 in p ace when the sewing machine is close up. Also, the hinge means 10 may be of the type which would allow folding and slideable movement of the flaps as, for example, the hinge as illustrated in US. Pat. No. 2,958,304 to Arbib.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, the scope of, and the breadth of protection afforded to the invention are limited solely by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a sewing machine including a casing having a pedestal, a base, a free lower arm, an upper arm, and a head, a plurality of flaps hinged on said casing for movement between an upper position, in which said flaps are raised against said casing to form therewith an enclosure for said head, and a lower position in which the head is exposed and the sewing machine is ready for use for certain sewing operations but the disposition of the flaps covering a portion of the free lower ann prevents use of said arm with tubular pieces of material to be sewn, the improvement comprising hinge means connecting the lower edge of each said flap with the upper face of said lower arm to permit said flaps to pivot around the hinge axis and also to slide longitudinally along the lower arm and pedestal towards the rear of the sewing machine when said flaps are in their lowered position freeing said lower arm to receive tubular pieces of material to be sewn.

2. A sewing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said flaps are equal in length to the length of the upper face of said lower arm.

3. A sewing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said flaps are as long as the overall length of the sewing machine, and said hinge arrangement permits said flaps to slide past and partially beyond the outer said pedestal.

4 A sewing machine as defined in claim I, wherein said flaps are two in number and are hinged on opposite sides of the upper face of the lower arm. 

1. In a sewing machine including a casing having a pedestal, a base, a free lower arm, an upper arm, and a head, a plurality of flaps hinged on said casing for movement between an upper position, in which said flaps are raised against said casing to form therewith an enclosure for said head, and a lower position in which the head is exposed and the sewing machine is ready for use for certain sewing operations but the disposition of the flaps covering a portion of the free lower arm prevents use of said arm with tubular pieces of material to be sewn, the improvement comprising hinge means connecting the lower edge of each said flap with the upper face of said lower arm to permit said flaps to pivot around the hinge axis and also to slide longitudinally along the lower arm and pedestal towards the rear of the sewing machine when said flaps are in their lowered position freeing said lower arm to receive tubular pieces of material to be sewn.
 2. A sewing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said flaps are equal in length to the length of the upper face of said lower arm.
 3. A sewing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said flaps are as long as the overall length of the sewing machine, and said hinge arrangement permits said flaps to slide past and partially beyond the outer said pedestal. 4 A sewing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said flaps are two in number and are hinged on opposite sides of the upper face of the lower arm. 